Loved and Lost
by Eragon-vodhr
Summary: Is it truly better to have loved and lost than ever to have loved at all? On a date with Arya, Eragon's starting to think not. R&R!


**A/N: My second story! I was thinking: What would make a good read? And here it is! If you don't like it, just smile and nod, smile and nod….**

**Disclaimer: I do…. not own anything related to Eragon.**

Is it truly better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all?

Eragon held the lilies in his sweaty hands and replayed his greeting inside his head. _Hello, Arya Svit-Kona…How beautiful are you tonight! _No…. too formal. This is supposed to be a casual date! _Hi, O Princess of the night. I was thinking dinner and a walk through the Beors?_ No, no, no! It was too late. Arya had already come into view wearing a white, floor-length dress with pearls hanging majestically around her slender neck. Her ebony hair was twisted up in a loose bun.

Eragon felt silly as she approached. A friendly date…. how very stupid he must have sounded when he asked her…. especially after a war. Blushing, he walked up to her.

"Good evening, Arya Svit-Kona," said Eragon, "You are looking exceptionally lovely tonight. I was thinking a dinner and a relaxed walk through the Beors?"

Arya nodded. "That sounds wonderful."

As the two started to walk together, a nagging voice entered Eragon's mind. It was Saphira. _Eragon! Give her the flowers!_

In his state, Eragon almost forgot. "Oh, Arya, I almost forgot, these are for you." He clumsily brought forth the lilies.

"They are lovely," said Arya with her usual taciturn demeanor, and took them.

The stroll towards the desired eating location was slow, although Eragon kept speeding up unintentionally in his anxiety. When they finally reached their destination, he relaxed.

A waiter met them at the door. "A table for two?"

They nodded in unison and the waiter led them towards and empty booth. Eragon, trying to be a gentleman, held out her chair for her, but being as captivated as he was by her appearance, he held it out too far.

Arya landed hard on her bum and scowled. Eragon turned a deep shade of scarlet and helped her up, muttering his apologies. She shook it off and sat promptly in her chair, then folded a napkin neatly in her lap. Eragon buried his head in the menu.

_What should I do now? _He mumbled miserably to Saphira.

_Compliment her! It may get her mind off of your slip up._

"Eh…. I'm so pleased you came, Arya. It really means a lot to me…. That someone of your status and beauty would even dream of fraternizing with someone like me," Eragon tried sheepishly.

Arya smiled and opened her mouth to speak, but didn't get a chance to. At that moment, a fat dwarf waddled up. Eragon lifted his head to acknowledge him, but was stunned to find that it was a _she_. She had a long reddish-brown beard that was curled elaborately and large eyes that were framed by enormous butterfly lashes.

"Why, hellooooo there, Your Fairness and Argetlam, I saw you over here and just had to meet you in person. Orik has told me just ever so much about you," she cooed.

"You know Orik?" Eragon said, "Who are you?"

"My name is Hvedra!"

Eragon and Arya exchanged significant glances. "Hvedra! You are betrothed to Orik."

They looked over at the neighboring table and saw a shaggy head banging repeatedly on the table. Orik groaned with embarrassment.

"Awww, my knurly-poo must have eaten too much of the seafood," Hvedra said in her honeyed voice. "Well, it was so nice to meet you. I must get back to my meal."

Hvedra waddled away just as the waiter appeared, carrying two menus. He placed them on the table, bowed low, and then scurried off. Eragon nonchalantly opened the menu and stopped dead. The menu was in a whole different language. It was not in the dwarvish, elvish, or the human tongue. He scanned the menu, panicking, then called for Saphira's aid.

_I can't understand any of this! _He said.

_Just order anything. _Saphira advised. _You don't want to look foolish._

Eragon gulped and nodded. When the waiter reappeared, he cleared his throat and smiled.

"I'll take the Monde de Yeuxs," he said promptly.

The waiter stared at him oddly, but recorded the order anyway. Arya requested something just as foreign, and the waiter left. Silence took them, owing to the fact that Eragon had nothing more to say, and Arya was lost in her own thoughts.

Soon after, the waiter returned with two covered dishes, and placed them in front of the guests. "Bon appetite," he said, smiling, and swept away.

Eragon uncovered his meal and suddenly let out a small gasp. Three fat eyeballs sat there, decorated with garnish and assorted vegetables. With an unintentional swallow, Eragon nibbled on the edge of the lettuce and smiled sheepishly up at Arya.

"Interesting choice," remarked Arya, her eyes glittering.

"To tell the absolute truth," Eragon admitted slowly, "I couldn't understand a word on that menu. I was embarrassed to say so."

"That would make a considerable amount of sense," she replied, chewing primly on a decorated salad.

_And to think, _thought Eragon painstakingly, _I have the whole night ahead of me._

Somewhere in his head Saphira whispered: _Ay carumba._

**So, there's the first chapter. If you hate it, I'll discontinue it after the date, but if you like it, I'll make more. Either way, I won't be sad. But, really, I probably would.**


End file.
